Tongs



J. BELETIC April 30, 1940.

forms 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug.. 10, 1939 gezezz c A itomeys J. .BELETIC April 30, 1940.

TONGS Filed Aug. 10, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Attorneys Patented Apr. 30, 194-0 UNITED STATES PATENT m TONGS John Beletic, Cleveland, Ohio Application August 10, 1939, Serial No. 289,480

,2, claims. (01. 29-;4-11) My invention relates to improvements :in tongs for use more particularly in removing olinkers from, furnaces although as presently appear it may be used in various other capacities to equal .5 advantage.

Ihe primary object .of the invention is to provide :a device of the character indicated which is easy to manipulate, adapted for gripping cinders and clinkers securely, and for removing the same u from the grate bars, and inexpensive to manufacture. I I

To the accomplishment of the above, and sub ordinate objects presentlyappearing, .a preferred v embodiment of my invention been illustrated 1| in the accompanying drawings, set forth in detail in the succeeding description, and defined in the claims appended hereto.

In said drawings: I Figure 1 is a view in .side elevation of the prem ,ferred embodiment .of the invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary similar view illustrating operation .of the pivoted tine,

Figure 3 is a view in top plan, Figure 4 is a view in longitudinal section taken u on the line 4-4.of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows and drawn to an enlarged .scale,

Figure 5 is a similar view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3 looking in the direction indio cated by the arrows,

Figure 6 is a view in perspective of the operating bar and rod, and

Figure '7 is a view in perspective of the latch member. 35 Referring to the drawings by numerals, the tongs of my inventionfas illustrated, comprise a hollow, preferably tubular shank, I of any suitable metal provided with a front end fork comprising a pair of preferably fiat tines 2 extending from a sleeve 3 fitted over and suitably secured to said end of the shankl. The tines 2 are'longitudinally curved in the usual manner and are preferably arranged with flat sides 0pposed so as to facilitate their insertion into the 45 grate sections, not shown. The rear end of the shank I is closed by a cylindrical cap 4 suitably secured thereto and having a central aperture 5 in the rear end thereof for a purpose presently seen. Extending from said rear end of the shank I is a yoke-like handle 6 including a front ferrule end I sleeved onto said shank I in advance 01' the cap 4 and fixed in any desired manner to said shank, a pair of side bars 8 extending rearwardly from the ferrule end I upon opposite 55 sides of the axis of the shank I, respectively,

, the tines '2.

and across bar 9 connecting the rear ends of said side bars and providing a handgri-p on said handle. The side bars '8 are longitudinally slotted as at I0, for a purpose to be explained.

A single tine II is p-ivotally mounted adjacent 6 the rear end thereof on the tines 2 intermediate the same, as at I2, for swinging movement toward and from the same in the axis of the shank I, said pivoted tine longitudinally curved reversely relative to the direction of curvature of The rear end of the tine I I, beyond the pivot I2 forms a short crank arm It for op'- crating said tine toward and-from the tines '2.

For operating said crank arm I3, a flexible rod I4 is extended through the shankI for endwise movement with its front end operatively connected to said crank arm Il3 through the medium of a suitable coupling link IS and a pivot pin I 6 extending through said link and arm. The rod I4 is slidably'extended' through 2.0 the before-mentioned cap 4 by way of the aperture 5 therein and secured at its rear end to: an operating cross-bar IT in the handle 6 slidably mounted at its opposite ends in the before-mentioned slots ID of the handle side bars 9. For 26 securing said rod I4 to the operating bar I Lsaid rod is extended through said bar and has a pair of jam nuts 1:8 threaded thereon upon-opposite sides of the bar respectivelm Y I The ends of the operating bar I'I are preferably 30 reduced, as at I9, to fit in the slots I0 and provide against endwise play of said bar between the side bars 8. A coil spring 20 is sleeved onto the rod I4 in the shank I between the cap 4 and a set collar 2I on the rod and urges the latter forwardly, the described connection of the rod I4 to the crank arm I3 being such that forward movement of said rod swings the pivoted tine II away from the tines 2 into normal open position. The ends I9 of the operating bar I! coact with the forward ends of the slots I 0 to establish the forward limit of movement of said rod I4 and the normal position of said tine I I. As will be obvious, by pulling the operating bar I'I rearwardly in the handle 6, pull may be exerted on the rod I4 to swing the tine II toward the tines 2 to clamp a clinker, or other object, between the single tine and the pair of tines.

A latch member 22 is provided on the handle 6 for retaining the operating bar "in a rearward position in which the pivotedtine II is swung into proximity to the tines 2. The latch member 22 comprises a pair of side latch arms 23 pivoted intermediate their ends, as at 24, on the side bars 8, in front 01' the slots IQ, for swinging movement alongside the bars 8 and having front ends connected by a rectangular yoke 25 surrounding the ferrule end I of the handle 6 and elongated to permit swinging movement of said bars 23 into and from latching position. The rear ends of the latch arms 23 are provided with edge lugs 26 adapted in the latching position of said arms to itercept forward movement of the operating bar l1 and thereby latch the same in rearward position. The yoke 25 is designed to serve as a counterweight for the described latch member 22 constructed and arranged so that when the tongs are turned with one tine 2 uppermost and the tine ll closed said yoke will counter-balance the latch member into unlatching position. Obviously said member 22 may be manually swung into and from latching position as desired.

The operation and use of the described inven tion will be readily understood from the foregoing. Sufiice it to explain that by grasping the shank l with one hand and the handle 6 with the other, the tines 2 may be manipulatedunder the article to be picked up and by pulling the operating bar I I rearwardly in the slots N3 of the handle side bars 8 the pivoted tine H may be adjusted for coaction with the tines 2 to clamp the article therebetween. Upon release of said bar ii, the tine II will be swung to releasing, or open position under the action of the spring 2!] in a manner which will be understood. When desired tine H maybe swung towards the tines 2 into an out-of-the-way position by pulling the operating bar I! rearwardly and then latched in such position by latching the said bar l'l against forward movement through the medium of the latch member 22 in the manner already described. As soon as the latch member 22 is moved to unlatching position the tine H will be swung to ngrmal, open positionby the action of the spring 2 The foregoing will, it is believed, suflice to impart aclear understanding of my invention without further explanation.

Manifestly the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the subjoined claims.'

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a tubular shank, a fork fixed to and extending forwardly of one end of the shank, a single tine pivoted to the fork adjacent the rear end thereof for swinging movement toward and from the fork respectively, and means to swing said tine comprising an operating cross-bar at the opposite end of the shank slidably mounted at its ends for movement longitudinally of the shank, a crank arm on said tine, and a rod of flexible metal extending through the shank for endwise movement therein and having its opposite ends connected to said operating bar and crank arm respectively, said shank having a spring concealed therein and tensioning the rod against movement in one direction, and a latch member pivotally-mounted at said opposite end of the shank for swinging movement into and out of latching relation to said bar, said member being counter-weighted for movement into unlatching relation when said shank is held substantially horizontally and turned to position one edge of the fork uppermost.

2. In a device of the class described, a tubular shank, a fork fixed to and extending forwardly of one end of the shank, a single tine pivoted to the fork adjacent the rear end thereof for swinging movement toward and from the fork respectively, and means to swing said tine comprising an operating cross-bar at the opposite end of the shank slidably mounted atits ends for movement longitudinally of the shank, a crankarm on said tine, and a rod of flexible metal extending through the shank for endwise movement therein and having its oppositeends connected to said operating bar and crank-arm respectively,

said shank having a spring concealed thereinand tensioning the rod against movement in one direction, and a latch'member pivotally mounted at said opposite end of the shank for swinging movement into and out of'latchingrelation to said bar, said member beingcounter-weighted for movement into unlatching relation when said shank is held in' a selected-position,

J QHN BELETIC. 

